Several prescribed fire operations begin Sunday around the Lake Tahoe Basin

Prescribed fire operations are planned around all four shores of the Lake Tahoe Basin beginning Sunday, according to the Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team.

Prescribed burns are planned near Incline Village, Tahoma, Meeks Bay, Sugar Pine Point State Park, Tahoe Mountain and Heavenly urban lot areas. A winter storm system is expected to arrive around the time the burning operations begin.

Operations will last through the next several weeks as conditions allow. They are being done by California State Parks, North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District and the U.S. Forest Service. Fall and winter bring cooler temperatures and precipitation, which favor prescribed burning.

Each operation follows a prescribed fire burn plan, which considers temperature, humidity, wind, moisture of the vegetation, and conditions for the dispersal of smoke. This information is used to decide when and where to burn. The Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team gives as much advance notice as possible before burning, but some operations may be conducted on short notice, according to a news release by the agency.

Smoke from prescribed fire operations is normal and may continue for several days after an ignition depending on the project size. The agencies coordinate with state and local county air pollution control districts and monitors weather conditions closely prior to prescribed fire ignition. They wait for favorable conditions that will carry smoke up and out of the Basin. Crews also conduct test burns before igniting a larger area, to verify how effectively fuels are consumed how smoke will travel.

Before prescribed fire operations are conducted, the agencies post road signs around areas affected by prescribed fire, send email notifications and update the local fire information line at 530-543-2600, #6. To receive prescribed fire notifications, send an email to pa_ltbmu@fs.fed.us. Go here for more information on prescribed fire and smoke management tips.

Project Information:

· Project Name: Sugar Pine Point State Park

· Responsible Agency/Contact: California State Parks, Rich Adams 530-583-2240

· Legal Location: T14N R17E S 17, 19, 20

· Descriptive Location: Sugar Pine Point State Park

· Type of burn: Hand Piles

· Total Acres: 87 acres

· Planned Ignition: 12/1/2014 and continue as conditions permit

· Duration of Ignition and Smoke Production: 30 days, intermittent

· Communities or Smoke Sensitive Areas: Smoke may be visible near Tahoma and on Highway 89 near General Creek.

· Project Name: HRP Phase I

· Responsible Agency/Contact: North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District, Isaac Powning 775-233-0936

· Legal Location: Various

· Descriptive Location: East Side of Second Creek Drainage

· Type of burn: Hand Piles

· Total Acreage: 20-25

· Planned Ignition: 12/01/2014 and continuing as conditions permit

· Duration of Ignition and Smoke Production: 2 days of burn down time, each unit

· Estimated Direction of Smoke Travel: North/Northeast

· Communities or Smoke Sensitive Areas: Smoke may be visible throughout the Tahoe Basin and surrounding communities.

· Project Name: Upper Third Creek

· Responsible Agency/Contact: North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District, Isaac Powning 775-233-0936

· Legal Location: Various

· Descriptive Location: West Side of Third Creek Drainage

· Type of burn: Hand Piles

· Total Acreage: 10-15

· Planned Ignition: 12/01/2014 and continuing as conditions permit

· Duration of Ignition and Smoke Production: 2 days of burn down time, each unit

· Estimated Direction of Smoke Travel: North/Northeast

· Communities or Smoke Sensitive Areas: Smoke may be visible throughout Tahoe Basin and surrounding communities.

· Project Name: NDSL Urban Lots

· Responsible Agency/Contact: North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District, Isaac Powning 775-233-0936

· Legal Location: Various

· Descriptive Location: Various throughout Incline Village

· Type of burn: Hand Piles

· Total Acreage: 3.5

· Planned Ignition: 12/01/2014 and continuing as conditions permit

· Duration of Ignition and Smoke Production: 2 days of burn down time, each unit

· Estimated Direction of Smoke Travel: North/Northeast

· Communities or Smoke Sensitive Areas: Smoke may be visible throughout Tahoe Basin and surrounding communities.

· Project Name: Grouse 13-2

· Responsible Agency/Contact: U.S. Forest Service, Kyle Jacobson (530) 543-2658

· Legal Location: T14N, R16E, Sec 24

· Descriptive Location: Elizabeth Drive, north of Tahoma

· Type of burn: Hand Piles

· Total Acreage: 40

· Planned Ignition: 11/30/2014 and continuing as conditions permit

· Duration of Ignition and Smoke Production: 10 days of burn down time

· Estimated Direction of Smoke Travel: North/Northeast

· Communities or Smoke Sensitive Areas: Smoke may be visible from Tahoma and surrounding communities.

· Project Name: Heavenly ULM

· Responsible Agency/Contact: U.S. Forest Service, Kyle Jacobson (530) 543-2658

· Legal Location: T12/13N, R18E, Sec 1, 34

· Descriptive Location: Ski Run

· Type of burn: Hand Piles

· Total Acreage: 70.25

· Planned Ignition: 11/30/2014 and continuing as conditions permit

· Duration of Ignition and Smoke Production: 10 days of burn down time

· Estimated Direction of Smoke Travel: North/Northeast

· Communities or Smoke Sensitive Areas: Smoke may be visible throughout Tahoe Basin.

· Project Name: Bobwhite 14-16

· Responsible Agency/Contact: U.S. Forest Service, Kyle Jacobson (530) 543-2658

· Legal Location: T14N, R17E, Sec 29

· Descriptive Location: Meeks Bay

· Type of burn: Hand Piles

· Total Acreage: 122

· Planned Ignition: 11/30/2014 and continuing as conditions permit

· Duration of Ignition and Smoke Production: 10 days of burn down time

· Estimated Direction of Smoke Travel: East/Northeast

· Communities or Smoke Sensitive Areas: Smoke may be visible from Tahoma and surrounding communities.

· Project Name: Highland 1

· Responsible Agency/Contact: U.S. Forest Service, Kyle Jacobson (530) 543-2658

· Legal Location: T12, 18E, Sec6, 7

· Descriptive Location: Tahoe Mountain

· Type of burn: Hand Piles

· Total Acreage: 123

· Planned Ignition: 11/30/2014 and continuing as conditions permit

· Duration of Ignition and Smoke Production: 10 days of burn down time

· Estimated Direction of Smoke Travel: North/Northeast

· Communities or Smoke Sensitive Areas: Smoke may be visible from South Lake Tahoe and surrounding communities.